Category: Health & Medical

The health reform framework that became the Affordable Care Act has a long history and many champions from all political philosophies. While the ACA will long be associated with Pres. Obama and is most often called Obamacare, many other politicians and policy makers had been working on similar plans for years including George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Mitt Romney. Sadly, full repeal of the Affordable Care Act would result in at least 18 million Americans losing health care coverage, and that would come at a political and economic cost.

“…look…once again, there is no sense of just what has to be fixed, the law is working as designed…we need a larger mandate penalty…”

It turns out, pretty much nothing that Obama and his healthcare “experts” predicted about Obamacare actually came true. With 2017 rates now finalized across the country, in fact, Obamacare premiums are expected to increase an average of 25% nationally according to data from the Kaiser Foundation. Meanwhile, the 10 hardest hit states will see premiums increase an average of 62% while Arizona is officially the biggest loser with rates in Phoenix soaring 145%.

If faced with increased reporting and administrative burdens, declining reimbursements and new payment arrangements that put their income at risk, many doctors – especially independent practitioners – may feel that they simply can’t afford to participate in Medicare any more. One recent survey of physicians found nearly 40-percent expect a “mass exodus” from Medicare over MACRA. Given the predicted shortage of doctors over the next decade and an aging population, this would be disastrous.

Imagine this. You are feeling under the weather. You pull out your smartphone and click the Rx app. A nurse arrives. He prescribes a treatment. It’s sent to the CVS down the street, which delivers it to your door. The entire event costs $20. Sounds nuts? Not so much.